Our Senior Administrators

President and CEO

Dr. Judith L. Rhoads has over thirty years of administrative and faculty leadership with a demonstrated team-building style in higher education in the Community College System of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. She has seventeen years of full-time teaching experience with peer-recognized commitment to student centered learning, innovative teaching, and student success. She has a strong commitment to a qualified and diversified faculty and staff and student body. For over thirty years, Dr. Rhoads has served the community through organizations and business initiatives and has been recognized and selected by local, statewide, and national groups and organizations for leadership which has resulted in a strong network of professional persons and a broader perception and knowledge of higher education.

Ed.D. in Human Resource Development, Vanderbilt University

M.A. in Counseling/Psychology, Austin Peay State University

B.S. in Home Economics, Murray State University

Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Deborah Cox holds the faculty rank of Professor and serves as the Chief Academic Officer of Madisonville Community College. Dr. Cox began employment at MCC in 1982 and has served the college in numerous leadership positions in Student Affairs and Academic Affairs since. Her teaching discipline is psychology and she served as Division Chair for Social Sciences prior to her appointment as Chief Academic Officer.

Ed.D. in Higher Education Policy and Evaluation, University of Kentucky

M.A. in Counseling, Eastern Kentucky University

B.S. in Psychology, Murray State University

Chief Business Officer

Ray Gillaspie served as Director of Kentucky Tech West—Daviess County Campus in Owensboro, Kentucky for 22 years. In that capacity he was responsible for supervision of all academic programming, vocational/technical training, student support programming, and facilities and budget management. During that same time he served as an adjunct instructor for Murray State University in Vocational Teacher Preparation. He is also a graduate of the College Business Management Institute conducted by the University of Kentucky. Since 2000, he has served as Madisonville’s Dean of Business Affairs.

M.S. in Industrial Education, Murray State University

Chief Student Affairs Officer

Jay Parrent is a native of western Kentucky and has been at Madisonville Community College since 2002. Prior to his appointment as Chief Student Affairs Officer, he served as registrar both with MCC and at Kentucky Wesleyan College. In 2010 Jay was appointed to the Kentucky Board of Education by Governor Steve Beshear.

Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Studies, University of Kentucky

M.A. Higher Education Administration, University of Louisville

M.A. in History, Murray State University

B.A. in History, Kentucky Wesleyan College

Director of Advancement

John Peters is responsible for all fund raising and public advocacy activities at MCC. Since December 1990, John has directed two major gifts campaigns – Partners in Progress and Fulfilling the Promise – that raised $6.1 million and $9.5 million respectively. A University of Kentucky Fellow, John is active in many west Kentucky endeavors, serving on the board of the Hopkins and Muhlenberg County Chambers of Commerce, the Hopkins County Education Foundation, and Big Brothers – Big Sisters of Hopkins and Muhlenberg Counties. He is also the college liaison with the Madisonville College Foundation.

M.S. in Public Administration, University of Kentucky

B.A. in Economics and Political Science, University of Kentucky

Director of Workforce Solutions

Mike Davenport has been with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, Madisonville Community College since the fall of 1977. He was promoted to the rank of Professor in 1992. He has held the previous positions of Mining Technology Coordinator, Management Development Series Coordinator, and Co-Chairman to the University of Kentucky Community College System Council for two terms. He is now Director of the Community and Economic Development Department and the KCTCS Center for Lean Excellence.

M.S. in Engineering Technology, Murray State University

B.S. in Environmental Quality/Geography, University of Kentucky

Director of Grants, Planning, and Effectiveness

David Schuermer has served in a number of different capacities since he arrived at MCC in 1980, including Professor of English, Chair of the Division of Humanities, Director of Community Development (which included the Glema Center for the Arts, the Business and Industry Program, the Continuing Education/Community Service Program, and Resource Development Program), Interim Dean of Academic Affairs, SACS Self-Study Chair, SACS Institutional Liaison, and his current position as Director of Grants, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness.